About Double Up Food Bucks
A win for farmers, families, and New Mexico communities.
Why We Need Double Up
Too many families struggle to bring home the healthy food they need to thrive. Every year, one in five New Mexico residents use SNAP to help put food on the table.
We're working towards a healthier New Mexico where everyone has greater access to fresh, nutritious fruits and vegetables.
Double Up Food Bucks is a program of the New Mexico Farmers’ Marketing Association. The program matches SNAP-EBT, or food stamp, dollars spent on fruits and vegetables with an equal dollar match of free New Mexico-grown produce.
This means more healthy food for New Mexico families, more sales for local farmers, and a boost for local economies. Everyone wins.
Double Up Food Bucks:
- Makes fruits and vegetables more affordable for everyone.
- Creates new markets for New Mexico farmers, putting more money in their pockets and strengthening local economies.
- Increases family food budgets and supports better nutrition — from farm to fork.
Double Up is a Win for Everyone
Double Up helps families who need it most buy twice as much fresh produce, whether it's fresh melons at farmers’ markets or locally-grown potatoes at the grocery store.
Best of all, these delicious purchases support local farmers and create more vibrant local economies across New Mexico.
People and Families
Since 2015, Double Up has helped New Mexicans buy more than $10 million in locally-grown fruits and vegetables. That's a lot of healthy meals!
And, more than 90% of those who use Double Up at farmers’ markets say they ate more fruits and vegetables like apples, cucumbers, green chile, and melons because of the program.
Farmers
Of farmers who participate in Double Up, 90% say the program has helped them sell more fruits and vegetables and increased their overall sales.
Increased sales have also helped some farmers expand their production and even buy or lease new equipment, and that helps everyone shopping for local produce.
Local Economies
Supporting local farmers and businesses strengthens New Mexico communities.
One dollar spent at a farmers’ market can generate $2.80 for the community’s economy. When food purchases are shifted to local sources, everyone benefits.
The Double Up Food Bucks Brand
The Double Up Food Bucks New Mexico program follows a national model that was piloted in Detroit in 2009. Today, Double Up is offered in more than 900 locations in dozens of states.
As food assistance is the largest single expenditure in the federal agriculture budget, redirecting even a small percentage toward locally grown food has an enormous impact in local communities. Every local food dollar goes a long way!
Our Story
The New Mexico Farmers’ Marketing Association’s (NMFMA)has managed the statewide program since 2015. The Double Up Food Bucks program doubles the value of federal nutrition assistance (SNAP) spent at participating farmers’ markets, farm stands, grocery stores, and other retailers, helping New Mexicans bring home more locally grown fruits and vegetables. It is funded by USDA NIFA, the State of New Mexico, and private foundations.
The wins are three-fold:
- Low-income New Mexicans eat more healthy food
- Local farmers gain new customers and make more money
- More food dollars stay in the local economy
New Mexico’s original SNAP incentive program began in 2010 at 17 farmers’ markets with federal stimulus funding provided to the New Mexico Farmers’ Marketing Association (NMFMA) by the New Mexico Human Services Department. Several markets carried the program forward in the years that followed with private funding. In 2015, the NMFMA received federal and state funds to expand the program to 30 farmers’ markets, and by 2016 the program expanded again to also include farm stands and grocery stores.
Double Up has been at the forefront of innovations in healthy food incentives, and the NMFMA is proud to work closely with hundreds of local, state and national partners who help make this important food access program a success for consumers and farmers alike!
Sarah Thompson
Nutrition Incentives Programs Director
sthompson@farmersmarketsnm.org
Andrea Warner
Double Up Food Bucks Outreach Coordinator/Market Manager Liaison
andrea@farmersmarketsnm.org
Corey Mansfield
Nutrition Incentives Program Administrator
corey@farmersmarketsnm.org
Sonora Rodríguez
ABQ Double Up Food Bucks Outreach Ambassador
sonora@farmersmarketsnm.org
Kirsten Hansen
FreshRx Program Manager
kirsten@farmersmarketsnm.org
Our Partners
Double Up Food Bucks is managed by the New Mexico Farmers’ Marketing Association, a nonprofit dedicated to strengthening the local food system by supporting local agriculture producers and cultivating strong networks for a healthier New Mexico. Our close partnership with the New Mexico Department of Agriculture ensures that agriculture producers remain front and center in this triple bottom line program.
The program’s success is deeply rooted in statewide partnerships with farmers, local food outlets, food banks, food pantries, municipalities, state agencies, and countless individuals who help bring it to life in their communities. Targeted outreach and complementary nutrition education help create program awareness and preference among SNAP shoppers. We deeply appreciate the contributions from each of Double Up’s partners and funders.